Shocking Leadership

Shocking Leadership

This Sunday, at CDC, we were privileged to have sister Annette Arul, General Secretary of FES give us the message titled “Shocking Leadership” from John Chapter 13.

Throughout his ministry, the way Jesus led was truly shocking! He said incredible things and His behavior completely confounded the religious leaders of the day. Everything He said seemed to be a paradox or a mystery – Turn the other cheek, bless your enemies, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the poor….  Jesus’ disciples must have been constantly challenged and even exasperated as they followed Jesus. What if you were following a leader who did not live up to your expectations? What if you were getting poorer? What if your leader can do miracles? What if your leader is into washing dirty, smelly feet?

Sadly, sister Annette shared that top of the list of migrants from Malaysia are Christians. When dirty feet stink too badly, perhaps many feel they have to leave. Sister Annette challenged us to be radical, to do something for God! Wherever there is darkness, don’t curse the darkness, light a candle!

Weeks before the Passover feast, Jesus had told His disciples again and again that He was going to Jerusalem to die. The poor disciples didn’t know what to make of this. They had left everything to follow Jesus. Still, as the meal took place, hidden ambitions began to come to light, as the disciples began to argue over who was the greatest. The mother of James and John asked Jesus to let them seat on His left and right. Today, lust for power and recognition is still predominant, and even very prominent in our churches. Many churches have began to see worldly values seep into their culture, chasing after physical beauty, charisma and aura. Many have forgotten that although the People of God are called to be the Head and not the tail, they are also called to be servants, like Jesus.

In those days, Jewish protocol was very important and the most important person sat on the left of the host. Amazingly, Judas occupied that spot next to Jesus. John must have been on Jesus’ right and Peter opposite John. Furthermore, interestingly, no water had been placed for the guests to wash their feet. In Jesus’ day, people wore sandals and their feet became very dirty and smelly as they walked about on dusty roads. Washing of the feet was considered a job so low and menial that even a Jewish slave would not do it for a Jewish master. Hence, nobody there seriously even considered getting the water to wash anyone else’s feet. As such, they just pretended there was no smell, and just proceeded to eat with their dirty feet. It was against this backdrop that Jesus preached His greatest sermon – the sermon without words.

Jesus bowed down to take up the smelly feet, and made each disciple significant. In his inner tunic, Jesus washed their feet, taking the place as a lowly slave to each one of them. Jesus knew that doing this would not change who He was. He knew He was the Son of God, King of Kings, but He did not shun from serving His disciples like a humble servant.

Love at its most excellence is to be self-forgetful. Serving without thinking of self. Jesus gave only two sacraments for us to follow, and in the Lord’s supper, Jesus is calling for a change in attitude. We need to learn to commit ego suicide, but serve humbly knowing who we are, and whose we are, freeing ourselves from public displays. In that great act of humble service, Jesus woke His disciples up to their calling, that they were called to a humble kind of leading, to passionate, incomparable loving.

In closing, sister Annette challenged all of us to be humble leaders for Christ, as a living servant, living humbly, and living so as to give ourselves to others.

May the Lord help us be like Him in learning to be humble, loving servants.

God bless,

Jason